Projects on the Go
Well, because of my New Year’s Resolution I have a lot of projects on the go! I’ve been trying to be good an not to start anything new but I have managed to find a few loop holes to wiggle through!
One of the projects I was hoping (very naively) to finish before Christmas was a red jumper with a lacy bottom and funky buttons on the top. I was basing it on a skirt pattern from a book I really like: Greetings From the Knit Cafe. The bottom starts out the same but I’m just kind of winging the top as I go. Of course when you are knitting on size US 5 needles it takes forever to create enough fabric to cover knee to neck.
Needless to say my adorable and trendy jumper was not completed for Christmas and it is still only half done today. I just keep plugging away knitting in stockinette stitch in the round. Knit every stitch for what seems like forever! Ah well, if it gets half the compliments my green skirt (of the same pattern) gets it will be worth it. The buttons I chose are black and white and have a cute bird on them. You will have to wait to take in the whole project to see the buttons.
One of my favorite parts of the skirt is the lacy bottom. It moves nicely when I walk or when I spin around (which I tend to find excuses to do in this skirt…..).
The first project that I found a loophole to work on was my orange floor cushion. A few years ago, when I first bought ‘Last Minute Knitted Gifts’ I made nice orange floor cushion out of Blue Sky Alpaca’s Bulky. It was really nice except that I couldn’t get the right sized piece of foam once I had finished all the knitting. How annoying. So I got 2 pieces of 2″ thick foam and put them together. Of course, this didn’t make it quite big enough so I also had to add a few skinny bits to the end. I sewed it up but I was never quite satisfied with it. The cushion was vibrant in color and very textural but there was always something about that lumpy foam that bothered me.
Finally last week I had had enough and I unravelled the whole thing. It took forever to take it apart and at first, I couldn’t decide whether to remake the cushion or to just make something else. I do quite like to have floor cushions, however, because I have a rather small living room and seating is limited to one (rather large) couch. So I finally decided to remake the cushion but a little differently this time. I wanted something a little smaller and I didn’t want to waste the foam and yarn I already had. So I made it 1/2 the size and it looks fabulous! I now have visions of a stack of colorful cushions in the corner. The project knitted up quick (gotta love that bulky yarn!) and it looks fab. This one is knitted in stockinette stitch but I think the next one will be made with the other side facing out.
Everybody Loves a Button
I am a big fan of the button. I think that an awesome button can often make or break a crafty item. That plain jane blue scarf could get a real pick me up from a shiny red button! A more intricate button can be the focus of a crafty piece.
My friend Robin is also a huge fan of the button. We enjoy perusing our local button shop (that’s right, a store devoted solely to neat buttons!) on a fairly regular basis. Robin has taken to spicing up her cardigan wardrobe with a smattering of funky buttons. She has taken a so-so grey cardigan and made it fabulous with some blingy buttons and the help of her thread happy friend (moi).
More than just altering a piece and making it better, a button can inspire a project all by itself. This chocolate brown wooden button was a must have. I still haven’t decided what to do with it but I just know it will be an excellent addition to any knitted or patchwork item I dream up.
I have been checking out some cool button projects lately and I think a short scarf with an awesome large button are the newest thing. They are pretty quick to knit up and rely completely on the right button choice. I think perhaps a chunky turquoise scarf would go well with my nice brown button, or maybe a nice sage green. Decisions decisions! Here, about halfway down the page is a great example of the small scarf with a cool button. I’ll let you know when it’s done!
Why I am a Crazy Person and made a quilt for a 2 year old
Well, every year there is one project that has me up late and drinking even more coffee than usual. This year it was a quilt I started a few months ago and was still hand stitching the the binding to on December 21st.
Let me start at the beginning…. a few months ago I was shopping near my local quilt shop (LQS) with a friend and we decided to go in and take a peek. We wandered around and we fell in love with some beautiful fabric from Moda (my latest fabric favorite as you know). Well, I got the big idea that I would finish my second quilt ever for my friends 2 year old son, whom I love.
Well, let me tell you that one finished quilt does not make you a ‘quilter’. I’m not sure why I have to learn this lesson so many times but hand crafted gifts always take 10 times longer to complete than anticipated. I hope someone will learn from this mistake!
Now, I should say that the quilt did get finished, it was beautiful (although imperfect), and my friends did love the quilt and appreciate my hard work. Creating this quilt was, however, not the joyous experience it could have been, had I thought through the entire process ahead of time.
The quilt was about 25 times more work than anticipated and late nights had me thinking ‘how can I get away with keeping this quilt and not giving it away after I slaved over it?’ . So I should also say that it might be a good idea to keep handmade gifts a secret, just in case they do not go as planned. That way you can always scrap the project, put it on hold, or keep it if is comes to that!
Craftacular Organization: The Knitting Edition
So it’s time to get my knitting paraphernalia organized! I need to find places for all of my yarn, needles, buttons, and other accessories that look neat and tidy. This new and improved knitting corner needs to be functional and pretty since it is going in my living/dining room. I began this knitting organization last year but I feel that it has begun to unravel. It’s time to spruce up the old and bring in the new. All of my knitting stuff (books included) need to fit into one bookcase so here goes nothing.
One of my favorite new ways to organize my straight needles is in a vase. When I got married this past summer my center pieces were these funky vases with lots of eclectic flower arrangements. I like the look of the needles in the vases so I don’t mind them on the window sill in the living room. Circular needles present more of a problem as they are less pleasing to the eye. So, I decided to hide them in a basket. Seems kinda disorganized but really, it’s not like they get knotted or anything.
Since I have decided to organized my knitting stuff in a bookshelf, the books pretty much take care of themselves. The yarn, however, takes up a lot of space and I am also slightly concerned about moths (I’ve never seen one in my house, or any evidence of them but I’ve read a couple of articles and now I’m totally paranoid). I decided to put my yarn in some jars that seal to keep all the yarn for a specific project together or to group the same type of yarn together. This way the yarn doesn’t become too unwieldy or knotted together (provided you are careful when you put them in the jar unknotted).
I put all of my buttons in a smaller jar to keep with the sort of jar theme. My friend Robin and I are a sucker for a cool button. We love to check out our local button store, Button Button in Vancouver, on an increasingly regular basis (can you believe there is a store just for buttons?!). But I digress. For stitch counters, stitch markers, measuring tape, cable needles, needle gauge and other little odds and ends that are frequently required I put them in a cute little makeup bag since they need to be taken off the shelf so often.
My last touches were to put some colorful yarn in a vintage cake stand and a mug. The cake stand keeps the yarn out of harms way and also makes a nice quick and colorful center piece, should I need one at the last minute. I like the look of the chunky yarn in a little mug, it’s different and kinda cool. I can’t explain, I just like it the way it combines my love of yarn and coffee somehow!Now that my yarn is all good to go, it’s time to tackle my fabric!
The Art of Giving Crafts
Giving a handmade gift is a thoughtful thing to do, no matter how small or large, simple or complicated the project. Keeping this mantra in mind, it is not always the smartest use of time. Every crafter knows a few people who think that ’homemade’ means cheap and easy. I think the very best people to give crafty gifts to are fellow arts and crafts enthusiasts and family. Crafters are uncritical and appreciative of the effort involved and family loves you no matter how your crafts turn out and probably have a good idea of how much time you spend crafting.
The worst are the aforementioned people who equate handmade with cheap and easy, and friends outside your most inner circle. Although it is always nice (at least in my own experience) to give handmade gifts to close friends, I think it is important to keep that list pretty short. People outside of your inner circle have lesser known likes and dislikes and are more likely to say the wrong thing. It is harder to make gifts for people who you don’t know REALLY well. There is nothing worse than slaving over a project only to find that the recipient no longer likes that color and has tossed your hard work aside. Maybe I’m too sensitive but I must say that people who are less known to you are more likely to let the first thing out of their mouths when they receive a hand made gift be: ‘this would be better if it was a little longer’ or ‘I think you made a mistake here’. It can be devastating. If you have ever put hours into a gift, you know what I’m talking about!
Now boys are really a fickle breed. They are sometimes the most and sometimes the least appreciative of handmade gifts. I rarely dare to go there, except when I make photo gifts for my family. Everyone loves photos but especially when there are photos of them. My dad and my husband are always appreciative of anything I make. My dad is sentimental and my husband watches me work day in and day out so they are an excellent audience. I say, choose the gifts you make for the men in your like carefully, so as to avoid disappointment. If he’s not a scarf kind of guy stop making him scarves!
Every crafter has gift giving stories of joy and woe. My advice is to use your time wisely and know your audience. That being said: I still get a warm fuzzy feeling whenever I work on a project with a certain someone in mind.
What I got for Christmas: The Knitting Edition
This Christmas I had many craftastic items on my good girl list and I was not disappointed when I looked under the tree! I received some neat new knitting accessories, needles, and yarn.
My biggest/best knitting accessory was a ball winder and swift. My mommy scoured the city for this coveted item and managed to find one out of the two parts needed. I got the swift but my local yarn store (LYS) was sold out of winders. I am promised one as soon as they come in. I was, of course, too excited to wait so I balled my new sock yarn with the swift and my two capable hands. It was great! I can’t wait to have easy to use center pull balls that are not too tight. That seems to be my problem when balling by hand. I read somewhere that if you ball your yarn too tightly it stretches the yarn and we can’t have that with my fabulous new sock yarn!
My lovely friend (and fellow knitter) Carolyn gave me some beautiful sock yarn for Christmas. I am excited to join the sock knitting craze that seems to be going around. I resisted for some time, saying things like “why knit them when you can buy a ten pack?” or “I would rather knit a new skirt, at least people will see it!” but now I see the error of my ways. Knitting socks is not only fun (like all knitting) but it is tres cool to have gourmet socks. The yarn Carolyn gave me is Fleece Artist Somoko which is made of wool, silk, nylon, and kid. It is a lovely blue and green and the fibers are easy on the feet. I am a waitress by trade and I must say that after a long day (and a foot bath) my feet need some serious TLC. So I have begun my socks on the 3rd knitting accessory I received for Christmas, my rosewood needles. Thanks Care!
My grandparents gave me some dollars for Christmas so I went straight to my LYS and purchased some Lantern Moon needles in Rosewood to go with my new sock yarn. They are such a treat to knit with! I 
know some people might think I’m crazy to spend my dough on some expensive needles but I tell you: I feel the difference! They don’t bend like bamboo, they’re not cold like metal needles, and they are smooth as could be. What more could you ask for in a needle? They are also (just to state the obvious) very esthetically pleasing. I keep my needles in a cute little vase and the rosewood looks fab. I don’t think my grandparents are on ‘that internet thing’ but I will shout out a thanks to them anyway!
So, to sum up my Christmas of knitting items: I love my swift (and will soon love my winder), I am excited to try knitting socks, and I love Lantern Moon knitting needles. Big thanks to everyone!
What I got for Christmas: The Quilting Edition
This Christmas my charming and craftacular mommy got me some fabulous fabric for a new quilt. I am finally going to finish a quilt just for me! The 2 quilts I have managed to complete have gone to my friend Robin for her wedding and for her son this past Christmas (more on that later). I have started many quilts but have only completed the 2, leaving none for me!
The new fabric is a colorful bird themed fabric from Moda (my latest fabric obsession). These are a few pics of my carefully washed and ironed fabric. I am planning on making the Isabella quilt from Bella Moon. It’s colorful and crazy, I think it suits the fabric well.
The only thing that concerns me is fussy cutting those adorable birds. I think they are an essential part of the quilt but fussy cutting is such a pain. Ho hum.
I also received a great new book with all kinds of great patterns for quilted and patchwork projects. The book is Joelle Hoverson’s ‘Last Minute Quilted and Patchwork Gifts’. Joelle is my personal hero. Although I am sworn to finish all the projects I already have going before starting any new ones I am already making a mental list of projects I can’t wait to get started on. I particularly like the color wheel quilt. Although I am just a fledgling quilter, I think one day I will be able to master the circular quilt! You can see some of the pics etc. from my new book here.
New Years Resolutions
So it’s New Year’s Resolution time again and I have a few this year. There is the perma-resolution: to drop a few (or more) pounds but I’m a crafter so I have some serious crafting goals too.
First and foremost I intend to finish the many 1/2 done projects hanging around my house! I am going to finish my list of projects on the go before I start any new ones! Of course, any projects I got for Christmas are fair game because I promptly went home and began them all at the same time. That seems fair right? 
My second crafting goal is to organize all of my materials and tools. I have a ton of yarn (mostly yarn designated to those aforementioned unfinished projects), paper for scrapbooking, and fabric for many unifinished or disasterously attempted quilts. Once I finish some of my projects those stores should shrink but in the meantime I need to get organized! A place for everything and everything in its place, that’s my new motto. Oh, and one things at a time (or maybe I will just try to keep it to 3 things at a time instead of 10). I will keep you posted on how the organizing goes!
